Protective packaging of materials and products has been practiced since time immemorial. There has always been a need to prevent contamination and damage to products being stored or transported. However, the needs for protective packaging in recent years have become ever more stringent.
The electronics industry, in particular, has made increasing demands upon the quality of packaging of various components utilized in manufacture and also regarding finished product shipping. The microminiature aspects of the components utilized in the modern electronics field have made it possible for a very small amount of contamination to cause significant problems. Therefore, any contamination at all must be carefully avoided.
One improvement in modern electronics packaging, as compared to conventional packaging, is the use of entirely non-shedding packaging materials. Plastics such as polyurethane, polyethelene and other massive molecular structure compositions have been utilized to minimize the opportunity for contamination of the product by particles separating from the packaging material itself. Furthermore, the actual packing of products takes place under extremely well controlled conditions and in a totally contamination-free environment. However, even the best of conditions and materials still allow for some slight possibility of particulate contamination.
To date, no entirely satisfactory means of packaging has been introduced which, for all intents and purposes eliminates particulate contamination as well as satisfying the other requirements of industry-acceptable packaging. These requirements include economical manufacture, ease of use, low weight, resistance to degradation under electronic equipment conditions, stackability, and aesthetic qualities.